TEACHINGS OF QUEEN KUNTI
Chapter four:

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.21
krishnaya vasudevaya
devaki-nandanaya ca
nanda-gopa-kumaraya
govindaya namo namah

TRANSLATION

Let me therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has become the son of Vasudeva, the pleasure of Devaki, the boy of Nanda and the other cowherd men of Vrindavana, and the enlivener of the cows and the senses.

JOURNAL:

This chapter is a long one and Srila Prabhupada makes many good points. What stood out for me was his explanation of Krishna's title Govinda. Srila Prabhupada writes; His pastimes with Nanda and Yasoda and His pastimes with the cowherd men and especially with the cowherd boys and the cows have caused Him to be known as Govinda.

Later on in the chapter he writes; Krishna is always happy, and whoever associates with Him is also happy. Therefore He is known as Govinda. The word go means "senses." We are looking for sense gratification, and if we associate with Krishna we shall enjoy our senses abundantly, just like the gopis who are dancing with Krishna. Thus there is no scarcity of sense gratification, but this sense gratification in association with Krishna is not gross sense gratification; rather, it is the spiritual sense gratification enjoyed in the spiritual world. Ananda-cin-maya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya [Bs. 5.32].

Last night I went downtown and met up with three other devotees for harenaam sankirtan. It was Blissful! A beautiful evening with lots of people sitting around waiting for a movie to start in the city square. For an hour and a half we chanted Hare Krishna while walking around a three block area. I was amazed at how folks responded. Almost everyone was happy to see us. Street musicians would join in when we passed them. People smiled, children stared and everything felt right to me.

So, when I read the words of Srila Prabhupada here I cannot agree more with him. Association with the devotees and the public chanting of Hare Krishna was the most fun I have had in a long time!

Hare Bol Prabhus!